Donovan Edwards Has To Step Up After Blake Corum’s Injury
Michigan Football just got hit with some bad news. Star running back Blake Corum will miss the remainder of the 2022 college football season with a knee injury. With Corum out, Michigan will need production from another back. Thankfully, Donovan Edwards is in Ann Arbor.
It is no secret that Edwards is a solid running back. You could even make the case that Edwards is a better back than Corum (Trey made the point back in week five). Simply put, he has some solid tools that will help him be successful. First off, he has a good combo of size and speed. At 6’1″ and 205 pounds he is a big body that is tough to tackle when he gets going. Plus, he has the vision to hit the hole and get going north quickly. With that being said, his best trait may be his ability to get work done in the passing game.
In the wake of Corum’s absence against Ohio State, Edwards took advantage of the opportunity to be the lead back. He finished the game with 22 carries for 216 yards and two touchdowns. In the fourth quarter, Edwards was the one to put the game out of reach as he had 75 and 85-yard touchdowns as Michigan pulled ahead to beat their bitter rivals.
That can not be a single performance though. As Michigan heads into the Big Ten Championship and College Football Playoffs they will need Edwards to continue to produce at that level.
Asking Edwards to produce at such a high level is certainly a tough task, but it is a massive opportunity. At a minimum, he will get national respect as eyes around the country watch what he does on the biggest stage in college football. Plus, he could get an early jump on his 2024 draft stock. I am not saying he will be the best back in the class as there will be a lot of great backs in the 2024 class, but he can throw his name in the conversation heading into next season. Oh, and in the wild world of NIL, I imagine his bank account would benefit from a late-season explosion too.
Edwards will not have to carry Michigan’s offense by himself. The team has an outstanding offensive line which is led by center Olusegun Oluwatimi. The group also consists of Trevor Keegan, Zak Zinter, Ryan Hayes, and Karsen Barnhart. All of them will get looks from NFL scouts. JJ McCarthy‘s emergence at quarterback should help the situation too. Nonetheless, all the eyes will be on Edwards. Do not expect him to back down.
